The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-07-21
THE TRIPLE somERsAuLT.
A Feat Rarely Accomplished and Of
ten Fatal.
Chicago Tribune.l

To turn double somersault from spring
board 1t is necessary to make leap at an an
gle OF about 300 to obtain the necessary ''bal-
last or impetus to turn twice. If an almost
perpendicular leap is made, the acrobat
would not have leverage enough to turn In
order to accomplish the double the perform
er has to leap from the spring board with all
his might to get the proper angle as we'll as
to attain sufficient height, so that he may
have time to turn twice before alighting.
The same conditions govern the triple somer-
sault only that it is necessary to 20 about
one-third higher in the air. 1t was said a
few years ago that, with the exception of
Sam Reinhardt, of Columbus, the famous
Bob Stickney and an English leaper whose
name has escaped memory, no gymnast in
America had sufficient power to leap any
higher than is necessary to accomplish a
double. Not that these three men could al
that or any other time, accomplish triple
somersaults at will but they could do no
more than a double.
The skeptic may say triple somersaultS
may be accomplished by higher and and more
powerful spring-boards than those in use.
but first class performers say that these
would merely change the angle and the re-
suit would be the same, OF course the
board could be placed high enough, but the
specific gravity Of the performers body
would be increased in descending The
height is not the only trouble. If it were
height, such men as Stickney, by improved
appliances and practice, would overcome
this difficulty. But after the body has turn
ed twice the performer Hoses his CATCH" or
control of his body, and the law of gravita-
ton overcomes bodily dexterity. His head
being heavier than his feet, he is apt to light
on it first and break his neck.
The first remembered attempt to throw a
triple somersault in this country was by a
performer in Van Amburgh's Circus in Mo-
bile, Ala. in 1912. he fell on his head and
broke his neck. Another attempt was made
In London. Eng, in 1876. 1t was made in
Astley's Ampitheatre, then leased to Howe
u Gushing, the American managers In the
company were Mr.. l.. Dipman, fine vaulter
now IN Cincinnati; the late Levi J. North, a
famous equestrian; the late VIM. o. Dale, ian
acrobat and equestrian, who afterward los,
his sight and died in Cincinnati. an, WIN. L
Hobbies, champion leaper. 1t was previous
" announced that Hobbies would attempt q
triple, and the house was jammed. He tried
1t, and was instantly killed.
The next to attempt the dangerous feat
was John Amor, who was born in the home
OF Dan RiceSs father near Girard, Pa. Amor
travelled f9f years in this country with Dan
Rlce's ciDcus, and In that day was considered
the greatest gymnast in America, if not in
the world. He was said to be the first per-
sopfn America to turn double somerSault
over four horses.
In 1889 he went to England and Travelled
with circus all through the United King
d0in. In the same year he attempted to turn
a triple somersault on the Isle of Wisht, but
landed on his forehead after he had turned
twice, and broke his neck
Billy Dutton performed the great feat
while member Of Cakes circus at Elkhnrn
in Of Faha t.
John Low, the famous clown. Dutton
was ambitious to have it to say that he did
1t, but did not make the attempt with the in
tention OF repeating it. He made the leap
from high spring board, and actually turn
hea three times, Button was very proud
put senslbly said that he would not try il
again, and that his alighting on his feet wa:
an accident, as he could not control his body
after turning the second time.
FRANK Stark, who was reared by by John
Robinson, the circus manager, undertook the
feat at the Fair grounds in INDIANAPOLIS. In
1870, Tor wager of one hundred dollars. In
the first attempt he turned three times, but
alghted on his hands. Everybody was salts
fed with the result, and the money was ten
dered him. He proudly refused it, saying
the feat had not been perfectly accomplished
that he would repeat it, and alight upon his
feet, before he felt justified in taking the one
hundred dollars. he did repeat it, but struck
ON his head dlslocating his neck and death
resulted in few hours afterward.
BOD Stlckney, the Apollo Belvedere of the
modern arena, accomplished the great feat al
tue age OF fourteen years, while practicng in
tne Hippo Theatre, in Fourteenth street,
New York. William Stein, at that time an
an attache of the circus, and who now, with
his wife, gives second sight performance,
was one of the persons who held the common
wooden blanket upon which Stickney alight.
ed. Sam Bernhard, of Columbus O., a re.
tired leaper, while travelling with the Cooper
u bailey circus in 1870 became dissatisfied
with the double-somersault feat, iu which he
was an adept, and burned to perform the
triple: AT Toledo he announced that he
would make the attempt, and did so, not
wlthstandlng the advice of his friends not to
try It. Sam made splendid high leap, actu-
ally turned three times, but landed on his
seat instead Of his feet. Bob Stickney,. who
is now travelling with circus, was inter-
viewed in Detroit recently. He said:
dld turn triple somersault once, and
altnQugh have confined myself to riding.
and have done no leaping for seven years, /
can do 1t again. Ii any circus manager will
give me $500 week will engage to attempt
a triple at every stand during the tenting
season. do not guarantee to make the at
tempt more than once day, and only in the
daytime"
Would you need any improved or original
apparatus was asked.
NO, would simply need the usual spring
board at five or six feet from the ground.
But would need a strong net, with the
meshes. Parma introduced the net when he
came to this country in 1878, and in Barnum's
circus iired woman out of cannon into the
net. 1t was really very strong spring which
elevated the performer The net into which
she fell made the feat possible. If ever the
Triple somerSault can be made a daily per-
Torrance 1t will be by means of the net. If
undertook it / would have straw mattress
ten feet square and one foot thick, placed on
the. ground about twenty feet from the
er mattress of the same length and width.
but about two feet thick On the top of the
latter, and touching it, would have a net
with meshes not more than one inch apart
would make daily attempt at the after
noon performance to accomplish this feat
But it would seem that leaping was going
out of fashion nowadays"
That triple somersault was ever accom-
plished before a circus audience after due an
nouncement, and under the same conditions